A number of professional licensing schemes require that participants, in order to obtain and/or maintain their license, must attend approved professional continuing education programs. The requirements vary from program to program, however they often have rules and/or requirements in common.
Our photovoltaic courses strive to meet the qualification requirements of as many of these programs as possible.
Some issuing agencies (such as the Ohio Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors) do not pre-approve courses. Participants must submit evidence of completion and then a percentage of the renewal applications are audited for compliance. The amount of education varies, as does the terminology used by the different agencies.
For example, the Ohio Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors require: Thirty (30) CPD hours are required biennially. If you are registered as both an Ohio P.E. AND an Ohio P.S. (DUAL), you will need to complete a minimum of 10 of the 30 required hours in engineering-related coursework or activities and a minimum of 10 of the 30 required hours in surveying-related coursework or activities.
A CPD is defined as a continuing professional development, and is often referred to by other agencies as a PDH, or professional development hour or an LU, learning unit. Typically organizations define PDH as one hour of classroom instruction (minimum 50 minutes actual instruction). Other definitions include:
- 1 university or college semester hour = 45 CPD hours
- 1 university or college quarter hour = 30 CPD hours
- 1 continuing education unit (CEU) = 10 CPD hours
- 1 hour of attendance at a conference, seminar or workshop = 1 CPD hour
Three questions organizations typically ask to determine if the course qualifies for continuing education credit:.
- Is the activity, course or seminar relevant to the license held and does it include technical, ethical or managerial content?
- Is the provider of the course, seminar or activity reputable and one that can demonstrate knowledge and expertise on the subject matter?
- Does the provider supply a course outline and a record of attendance?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then the courses will likely meet the organization’s CPD requirement.
Blue Rock Station will provide all attendees with a certificate of attendance that contains all the information necessary to comply with most agency’s stated record keeping requirements. If specific (and unusual) information is required for a particular agency, let us know and we will strive to comply with that requirement as well. Additionally, Blue Rock Station maintains records of student attendance for a minimum of five years and can re-issue certificates of completion should yours be lost during the renewal period.
Other organizations require that the course as well as the provider be pre-approved in order for the education to qualify. Blue Rock Station LLC has complied with these requirements for a number of industry organizations.
Please let us know if you will be applying for CEUs from any of our approved bodies – as there may be specific reporting requirements that we will need to comply with to make that happen…
ETA-I (Electronic Technicians Association, International) – our courses qualify as preparation of ETA-I Level 1 PV certification or continuing education of other ETA-I technical certifications). This course also qualifies for 40 hours of the 60 hours required for the ETA-I PV Level 2 certification. More details regarding these programs found here.
The Residential Solar Installation & Design course (online, in person and hybrid format) has been approved for the following:
| ETA Level 1 PV Certification Requires 40 hours approved training | Approved Hours 40 hrs |
| ETA Level 2 PV Certification Requires 60 hours approved training | 40 hrs |
| Continuing Education Requirements for Selected ETA-I Certifications | 40 hrs |
The Introduction to Solar PV course has been approved for the following:
| Continuing Education Requirements for Selected ETA-I Certifications | Approved Hours 10 hrs |
NABCEP – Blue Rock Station LLC is an accredited provider with NABCEP, both for initial certification as well as for recertification.
The Residential Solar Installation & Design course (online, in person and hybrid format) has been approved for the following:
| PV Installation Professional Exam 40 Advanced, Accredited hours required, and 18 Advanced Accredited OR Non-Accredited hours | Approved Advanced Accredited Hours 32 hrs JTA | |
| PV Design Specialist Exam 18 Advanced, Accredited Hours AND 6 NEC hours of training required | 28 hrs JTA | 8 hrs NEC |
| PV Installation Specialist Exam 18 Advanced, Accredited Hours AND 6 NEC hours of training required | 32 hrs JTA | 8 hrs NEC |
| PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialist Exam 18 Advanced, Accredited Hours AND 6 NEC hours of training required | 32 hrs JTA | 8 hrs NEC |
| PV Technical Sales Professional Exam See Certification Handbook, Chapter 7 | 8 hrs JTA |
Our online courses have been approved by the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services for a number of their electrical licensing programs. Our department training Customer ID number: #1515357
The Residential Solar Installation & Design course (Course Identification Number: #21695, Expiration Date: 9/15/2025) – online, in person and hybrid format – has been approved for the following:
| Commercial Electrical Inspector Certification – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | Approved CEUs 24 hrs |
| Industrial Journeyman Electrician License – Requires 18 hours CEUs every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
| Journeyman Electrician License – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
| Master Electrician License – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
| Registered Electrician – Complete at least 24 hours of acceptable continuing education within one year prior to date of application. Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
| Residential Journeyman Electrician License – Requires 18 hours CEUs every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
| Residential Master Electrician License – Requires 18 hours CEUs every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
| UDC – Electrical Inspector Certification – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 24 hrs |
The Introduction to Solar PV course (Course Identification Number: #22435, Expiration Date: 11/26/2026) – online, in person and hybrid format – has been approved for the for the following:
| Commercial Electrical Inspector Certification – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | Approved CEUs 10 hrs |
| Industrial Journeyman Electrician License – Requires 18 hours CEUs every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
| Journeyman Electrician License – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
| Master Electrician License – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
| Registered Electrician – Complete at least 24 hours of acceptable continuing education within one year prior to date of application. Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
| Residential Journeyman Electrician License – Requires 18 hours CEUs every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
| Residential Master Electrician License – Requires 18 hours CEUs every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
| UDC – Electrical Inspector Certification – Requires 24 hours CEU every 4 years. | 10 hrs |
The Committee of the Board for Contractors of Virginia approved the following on 03/09/2021 and then updated their approval on 12/10/2021 that the training is in alignment with the 2017 NEC. Our Education Provider Number is 2730000451. Course approval information is as follows:
| Course Title | Credit Hrs | Approval Number | Method of Instruction | NEC |
| RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INST. & DESIGN (VOC) | 46 hrs | 2731003785 | classroom | 2017 |
| RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INST. & DESIGN (VOC) | 46 hrs | 2731003786 | online | 2017 |
| RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INST. & DESIGN (CE) | 46 hrs | 2731003787 | classroom | 2017 |
| RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INST. & DESIGN (CE) | 46 hrs | 2731003788 | online | 2017 |
| INTRO TO SOLAR PV (VOC) | 10 hrs | 2731003789 | classroom | 2017 |
| INTRO TO SOLAR PV (VOC) | 10 hrs | 2731003790 | online | 2017 |
| INTRO TO SOLAR PV (CE) | 10 hrs | 2731003791 | classroom | 2017 |
| INTRO TO SOLAR PV (CE) | 10 hrs | 2731003792 | online | 2017 |
- LACES (Landscape Architect’s Continuing Education System) has approved Blue Rock Station LLC as a provider of LA CES health, safety, and welfare professional development continuing education credits.
Blue Rock Station LLC has been approved as a Training Agency with the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (Training Agency License #47939, expires 04/20/2022). Our online courses have not yet been approved for CEUs.